Sunday, February 5, 2012

Welcome to the Big Time. You didn't think that the California Shark Fin Ban would just go away did you?

Nah. We didn't either.

With the sheer amount of anti-Asian nastiness that went unchecked in the lead up and execution to the “Shark Protection Act,” this new lawsuit could well be something of a game changer.

The group behind this push is the The Asian American Rights Committee of California and they have some well heeled, well organized, and well moneyed clients behind them representing:

1. Shark fin receivers

2. Wholesalers

3. Distributors

4. Asian restaurant associations

You can read more about this suit, what it means, and where it is going here at The New Law Fallout Blog. Most notably, a comment at the end of this blog post that serves to highlight what we have been saying for the past two years.

"Conservation groups have to reign in rabid anti-Asian sentiment that has become synonymous with the entire shark fin conservation movement."

While it's noble and earth wise to seek conservation change and modification to consumptive practices within various religious and distinct cultural groups. It is completely unwise, foolhardy, and starkly racist to poke an uniformed stick into the eye of your opponent, and then expect that they will not seek redress.

The current batch of anti-Asian talking points that are swirling about the Internet were created in a media vacuum without strategic leadership from any mainstream conservation group, leaving those who have a new law to deal with less inclined to let that law become, "the law of the land."

Is this really about shark fin and saving sharks? Or do we hate Asians for everything we are not?

Mary Ssays:

Asian Culture is a pure hogwash excuse. Money is what it’s all
about. The Asian People do not have a very good reputation regarding
preserving the planet or endangered animals. They are a [slash and burn
people.] Consider the loss of Rhinos for their horn, tigers lost for
their penises, whales killed for “scientific purposes” bears imprisoned
for life for their bile, not to mention dogs and cats for all sorts of
purposes. No, we all had to give up cultural things for the sake of the
earth and because we overcame,via knowledge, our superstitions. Enough.

Industry rumors of, "a few last hold outs" for white sharks in the Southern Hemisphere have been the stuff of legends and myth for a number of years now.

That changed in 2008 with a nascent operation at Stewart Island, NZ.

Unfortunately conceived of and run by a commercial shark fisherman who has a multi-ton quota of shark fin for export to Asia (yes it's true). Thankfully for the industry newer and greener operations have surfaced at Stewart Island making this site one of the most exciting finds in the past decade.

You owe it to yourself to make the very long trek one of these days to Stewart Island and say hi to Mike Haines in season. The white shark encounters are some of the best on the planet at this remote and special site and Mike is an island local who cares about these sharks.

Tasmania represents the final frontier for white shark diving. A place so remote, so unspoiled, that white shark populations regularly kick out monster sized animals in the 18-19 foot class.

That's the good news. The better news this week is two enterprising Tasmanian locals, Scott Howlett and Dave Young, have decided to make a go of the operations side after seeing how it is done with Australian commercial shark diving legends Rodney and Andrew Fox.

We wish them the very best, if you want to get an idea about Tasmania white sharks go do a Google search for Tasmania White Sharks, or you can just sit back and watch this video here:

About Shark Diver.
As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.